Spec Ops: The Line had been delisted from Steam. The game had also disappeared from other digital storefronts, including Fanatical, Gamesplanet, and Nuuvem. And now, we have confirmation from 2K themselves: one of the most important video games of the Xbox 360 and PS3 generation is disappearing from online storefronts for good.
2K Games sent IGN the following statement confirming The Line's delisting:
Spec Ops: The Line will no longer be available on online storefronts, as several partnership licenses related to the game are expiring.
Players who have purchased the game can still download and play the game uninterrupted. 2K would like to thank our community of players who have supported the game, and we look forward to bringing you more offerings from our label throughout this year and beyond.
While 2K hasn't provided specifics as to what partnerships are expiring, Spec Ops: The Line contains several pieces of licensed music, including Jimi Hendrix's iconic rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. Expiring music licenses have been the reason for many delistings in the past, and that would seem to be a probable reason here.
As of the time of this writing, Spec Ops: The Line is still available on Good Old Games, where it is backwards compatible. Anyone interested in purchasing it should probably do so before it disappears into the heart of an immense darkness... for good.
There's quite a few expiring licenses all over. I especially feel bad for older titles from the 6th Gen era who's games are just floating in the air, neither ported nor supported for newer systems.
2024-01-31